


Make A Change

by thesometimeswarrior



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Ficlet, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Personal Growth, Steven Universe: The Movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22763317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: “You want us tosingon this broadcast?!” Yellow demands, aghast. “We’reDiamonds! It is entirely inappropriate of our station to have us dither on likePearls—”Steven sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose between two fingers.(Change is hard, after millennia.)
Relationships: Blue Diamond & White Diamond & Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe), Blue Diamond/Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe), The Diamonds & Steven Universe, Yellow Diamond & Yellow Diamond's Pearl (Steven Universe)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 144





	Make A Change

“You want us to _sing_ on this broadcast?!” Yellow demands, aghast. “We’re _Diamonds_! It is entirely inappropriate of our station to have us dither on like _Pearls_ —”

Steven sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose between two fingers. But, before he can launch into the usual speech—they’ve been at this for _two years_ , and yet it feels like he nonetheless gives some variation on the same theme at least once every few weeks—Blue Diamond intervenes.

“Yellow,” she reprimands gently, softly gripping Yellow Diamond’s arm with her own hand, and when she continues, it sounds as though she’s trying to issue a reminder to herself as well as to her companion. “Pearls are not… _inferior_ …to us, remember? We aren’t their betters.”

“Yes, but _singing_ , Blue! I…It’s—”

“You guys _love_ singing!” Steven throws his hands up into the air. “Yellow, the first time I saw you in person, you were singing to Blue!”

“Yes, well, that was in private—”

“No, it wasn’t. Pearl and Pearl were with you.”

“They don’t—” 

Out of the corner of his eye, behind her cameras and broadcasting equipment, Steven sees the Gem who at one time belonged to Yellow shift uncomfortably on her feet, as though she wants to interject, but can’t quite muster the strength. She’s made great strides in coming to terms with her own individuality—has even occasionally asserted herself to the other Diamonds—but the notion of contradicting _Yellow_ still unnerves her, must go against every deeply engrained instinct she has. Two years, he realizes suddenly, must be _nothing_ for a Gem, when compared to _millennia_ of servitude…

So if she can’t yet advocate for herself in this particular instance—for her worth and for her own autonomy—Steven will do it for her until she can.

“They count,” he interrupts, bluntly. “Pearls.”

“Oh, fine!” Yellow Diamond exclaims. “But, even so, there were only two of them when you heard us singing! This will be broadcast across the entire _Empire_ —”

“Not an Empire.”

“Then to everyone! To Gems everywhere! _Millions_ of them!”

“Well, yeah.” Steven softens. “But isn’t the whole point of these broadcasts to help everybody understand that the old rules about the hierarchy don’t apply anymore? So seeing the Diamonds sing would be such a great way to demonstrate that, don’t you think?” He turns to where Pearl and Pearl stand, a small distance away, preparing equipment, calls to them: “Great idea, guys.”

“I know it’s hard, to change.” Blue Diamond embraces Yellow’s arm. “But I believe it’s right.”

“Enough,” White Diamond weighs in, at last, through gritted teeth. “We’re doing it.”

At this, Yellow and Blue fall silent—there are things engrained in them, too—but Steven doesn’t. “I’m so happy that you’re on board, White. But you can’t dictate what the others do, remember? It would be great if you guys wanted to sing, but,” he moves to address Yellow. “In the end, it’s up to you.”

“Oh, very well!” Yellow sighs, as if to hide her nerves behind exasperation. “I’ll do it!”

“Great!” 

“Let’s…take it from the top,” the Pearl who had been Yellow’s directs.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I love comments!


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